Student.SpareRoom.co.uk is firmly committed to equal opportunities. We monitor all ads to make sure they comply with UK housing and discrimination laws, including recent updates under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. This guide explains what landlords, agents, and flatmates need to know about discrimination in housing and room ads.
Discrimination laws for landlords and agents
Under the Equality Act 2010, landlords and letting agents must not publish ads for rental properties - whether for a room or a whole property - that suggest a preference for or against individuals based on the following protected characteristics. It's also unlawful to discriminate against prospective or existing tenants on the same grounds:
- Sex or gender
- Race or ethnicity (including nationality)
- Disability (including the use of mobility aids such as guide dogs)
- Religion or beliefs
- Sexual orientation
- Gender reassignment
- Pregnancy or maternity
In addition, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, landlords and letting agents are generally prohibited (except in very limited circumstances) from discriminating against tenants or prospective tenants because they have children, or may have children living with or visiting them.
These protections came into force in England and Scotland on 1 May 2026. The UK Government is also working with Wales to implement the same rules from 1 June 2026.
These rules apply to all non-resident landlords and agents. Simply put, you cannot refuse tenants, exclude applicants, or use wording in ads that discriminates on any of these grounds.
Important: Age is not currently a protected characteristic in UK housing law.
Avoiding discrimination in ads written by flatmates and people with lodgers
If you live in the property you're advertising a room for then the law is slightly more flexible. You're allowed to have a preference on your new flatmate, but still not when it comes to race.
When stating a preference:
- You must explain it clearly and respectfully.
- You cannot use exclusionary wording.
Examples:
- Acceptable: “Female preferred as other housemates are female.”
- Not acceptable: “No men allowed.”
- Acceptable: “This is a Halal household, so we'd prefer a Muslim housemate.”
- Not acceptable: “Muslims only.”
SpareRoom takes action on ads that do not follow this guidance.
Mentioning housing benefit (LHA) in SpareRoom ads
You must not exclude tenants or prospective tenants simply because they receive Universal Credit or Local Housing Allowance (except in very limited circumstances). Ads that include restrictive language about tenants receiving benefits will be removed.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 reinforces these protections. The reforms came into force in England and Scotland on 1 May 2026, and the UK Government is working with Wales to introduce equivalent protections from 1 June 2026.
See more information here:
Housing benefit and lodgers (if you rent out a room in your home)
Housing benefit and tenants (for regular, non-resident landlords)
Guide dogs and assistance animals
Guide dogs and assistance animals are mobility aids, not pets - this distinction matters legally.
- A landlord cannot refuse a tenant on the basis that they have a guide dog.
- Refusing someone because they use a guide dog is equivalent to refusing someone who uses a wheelchair - it is disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
However, if your property accommodates fewer than seven people, the law may treat disability discrimination differently under the small premises exception. See here for more details.
Right to request a pet
Under the Renters' Rights Act, tenants in England have the right to request permission to keep a pet. Landlords must not unreasonably refuse such requests.
Requests must be made in writing and should include a description of the pet the tenant wishes to keep.
SpareRoom's discrimination policy
SpareRoom's approach goes beyond the minimum legal requirements. It's not just a case of what is and isn't legal - it's about treating people as you'd want them to treat you.
- Ads with unclear, discriminatory, or offensive wording will be removed.
- Where preferences are permitted, advertisers are expected to express them in a positive and respectful way, rather than using restrictive or exclusionary wording.
Learn more about the Renters' Rights Act 2025
The Renters' Rights Act strengthens protections against unfair treatment in the private rented sector. For more information on the Renters' Rights Act and how these rules are enforced, visit our Renters' Rights Act hub.